friend of mine wants to mate his2 dwarf rabbits and keep them together from this point on, the buck is 12 months and the doe 8 weeks is this a wee bit early for the doe? it seems so compared to meat rabbits any advice welcome 
dwarf pet rabbit question
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I would not recommend it.
The buck may harass her and in a cage she really has no way to get away from him, she is also too young to defend herself from his advances. In my experience the smaller breeds tend to be more hormonal and sexually aggressive compared to large breeds like New Zealand's and America Chinchillas.
Is your friend familiar with dwarf genetics? Their bone structure is such that they are more prone to birthing complications compared to non dwarf breeds and if they have 'pinched hips' there is an even greater chance for problems. Does he have a plan incase there is a stuck kit or eclampsia (low blood calcium) in the doe? Both of which are more common in juvenile dwarf does who have litters before reaching full size.
The buck may harass her and in a cage she really has no way to get away from him, she is also too young to defend herself from his advances. In my experience the smaller breeds tend to be more hormonal and sexually aggressive compared to large breeds like New Zealand's and America Chinchillas.
Is your friend familiar with dwarf genetics? Their bone structure is such that they are more prone to birthing complications compared to non dwarf breeds and if they have 'pinched hips' there is an even greater chance for problems. Does he have a plan incase there is a stuck kit or eclampsia (low blood calcium) in the doe? Both of which are more common in juvenile dwarf does who have litters before reaching full size.
at 8wks she won't be ready to breed, and the buck might hurt her. If he puts them together and leaves them together, they will produce a litter of kits every month. The buck might trample the babies, or the buck and the doe might fight.
It seems like a very bad idea all around.
It seems like a very bad idea all around.
I've done it with mini rex in a very large cage and found the doe gets too annoyed with the buck. Some does will even castrate the buck. Mine just became grumpy and aggressive toward anything that came at them including humans because they were so annoyed. I never leave less than 2 does with a buck to spread out his attention and some bucks I wouldn't leave with does at all because they are too persistent.
Kyle@theWintertime
Well-known member
Risk of injury is too great. I tried a colony set up and it ended up being a MAJOR hassle. Ironically my doe would corner the buck and beat the crap out of him!
Even if a pair of rabbits is together for only a minute, things can get ugly. I'd house them separately.
You might want to ask him why he wants to breed. Is it to show them? Sell for pets?
Even if a pair of rabbits is together for only a minute, things can get ugly. I'd house them separately.
You might want to ask him why he wants to breed. Is it to show them? Sell for pets?
Kyle@theWintertime
Well-known member
Yeah I'm all for breeding, hope I didn't give the impression I'm not! And breeding can be for even simple reasons...a friend of mine has a rabbit (I forget if it's a buck or doe) that has no history on it, it's a REW, so she's test-breeding it to some other rabbit to see what color genetics the unknown bunny has.
But yeah having a definite goal and an idea for what to do with the babies is important.
And breeding can be for even simple reasons...a friend of mine has a rabbit (I forget if it's a buck or doe) that has no history on it, it's a REW, so she's test-breeding it to some other rabbit to see what color genetics the unknown bunny has. But yeah having a definite goal and an idea for what to do with the babies is important.
3mina
Well-known member
We are definitely not anti breeding here but we are pro safety and your friends plan doesn't cover any bases in that regard IMO. I'd suggest to your friend they come and take a look around here before making any hasty decisions.
hi dood you are always so helpful i will pass on your info above to him...apparently he took a pet shop owners word that this would be ok sounds very dangerous thanxDood":3f0az1et said:
__________ Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:23 pm __________
thankyou bh he put them together when he first got her at 6weeks yes he did attack the poor thing i will pass on your adviceBad Habit":3f0az1et said:
__________ Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:26 pm __________
thats interesting akane didnt know that about does being able to castrate bucks...will let my friend no what you said thanxakane":3f0az1et said:
__________ Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:28 pm __________
hi kyle, he wants to sell themKyle@theHeathertoft":3f0az1et said:
__________ Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:30 pm __________
thats why i come here with my friends situation he has no internet so im go between on this issue as it kind of worried me as we wouldnt do this with the meat rabbits...thanx AC<br /><br />__________ Tue Mar 05, 2013 4:37 pm __________<br /><br />AnnClaire":3f0az1et said:Yeah, your friend needs to define their goals before breeding, then have a plan to deal with the offspring ... we are not against breeding, just breeding irresponsibly
HI 3MINA, hes no internet and as im on here often with my own rabbits i just hopped at the chance to get some sound advice for him thanx for yours too3mina":3f0az1et said:
but i just wanted to find out how old the doe should be before they mated ...if he mates them after hearing the risks that is i dont think i would if i had that breed at the age he was told .
Kyle@theWintertime
Well-known member
Ah.
As I understand it, there isn't a whole lot of money to be made in rabbits unless you are selling exceptionally good show-quality animals OR breeding for meat production with a lot of top-quality high-producing does. That being said, it could be fun for him to have a litter and see how it goes.
I know how thrilled I am at the prospect of my doe Gem being pregnant...I just bred her yesterday and dangit, I WANT THOSE KITS NOW! :lol: :lol: Alas my rabbits did not come with a "fast forward" feature. I so enjoy little baby kits!!! I know I must sound evil but I like to gently nudge, say...one tiny foot or something, and watch the whole litter go from quiet and still to a writhing mass of popping popples! They pop like popcorn!!!Though I'd also warn that he may want to look around and see if there is a market for pet rabbits where you are at. I know around here there's like...no market. Purebred pet-quality dwarf breeds locally are priced at $5 apiece...and are not selling.
Every time I go to the local T&S knockoff store (I prefer T&S but the other store DOES have a better pricetag on feeders and crocks) I see the same four Mini Rex for sale, lol. So he may want to talk to the pet store, see if they will buy his kits from him to re-sell (I did that with mice years ago) as that might be an option. Of course if in your area they sell like hotcakes, it's no big deal.
Kyle@theHeathertoft":1331f2iv said:
Ah.
That being said, it could be fun for him to have a litter and see how it goes.
Though I'd also warn that he may want to look around and see if there is a market for pet rabbits where you are at. I know around here there's like...no market. Purebred pet-quality dwarf breeds locally are priced at $5 apiece...and are not selling.
same situation here with the dwarfs as far as i know they were going for up to 40 euro a while back!!! now less than half that any way i went and saw my friend today and told him all the info found here hes going to wait to have a go at breeding he said
Of course if in your area they sell like hotcakes, it's no big deal.
Kyle@theWintertime
Well-known member
I've got a little of Mini Rex on the way...hopefully, LOL. I was hoping to have a litter in a couple of weeks of Champagnes but I don't think my doe took.
I know my whole litter of Mini Rex is likely to be mismarked as they will be Vienna marked I'm sure, but useful for future breeding, lol!
I was hoping to have a litter in a couple of weeks of Champagnes but I don't think my doe took. I know my whole litter of Mini Rex is likely to be mismarked as they will be Vienna marked I'm sure, but useful for future breeding, lol!
as soon as i said i did not tink my doe was pregnent she had litters, the first litter died unfortunately but i thought she hadnt took the 2nd time either and soon as i said it out they poppedKyle@theHeathertoft":213hgjhp said:I've got a little of Mini Rex on the way...hopefully, LOL.
I know my whole litter of Mini Rex is likely to be mismarked as they will be Vienna marked I'm sure, but useful for future breeding, lol!
hope you are lucky kyle coffeenutdesigns
Well-known member
Kyle@theHeathertoft":3umgekwd said:Alas my rabbits did not come with a "fast forward" feature.
Yeah, there's no microwave for the buns in that oven! :lol:
Kyle@theWintertime
Well-known member
coffeenutdesigns":33z8p9q5 said:Kyle@theHeathertoft":33z8p9q5 said:Alas my rabbits did not come with a "fast forward" feature.
Yeah, there's no microwave for the buns in that oven! :lol:
Well gosh darn it there should be!
I keep whispering to Gem when petting her, "be pregnant. Have lots of popples. Please make sure they are cute. Mostly bucks preferred."
She looks at me with the classic Disapproving Bunny face.
I think it is my imagination, but she's getting pudgy. The reason I say it is my imagination is she was bred like a week ago, and she was ALREADY kind of flabby/pudgy (old brood doe saggy belly thing, you know?).I second the fact that dwarf rabbits especially generally have problems giving birth. Most first-time does either have DOAs or they have them on the wire in my experience. Not all, but a lot of them. With the rabbits being so small (unless you've got a BUD - big ugly doe), there can be lots of complications. Plus, does he know about peanuts? Two "true" dwarfs (carrying the dwarf gene) will almost always produce at least one or two peanuts in a litter. They always die.
I would keep them separate. Does can get aggressive with the bucks and hurt them easily.
I would keep them separate. Does can get aggressive with the bucks and hurt them easily.
his doe is going to be smaller than his buck they look different breeds to me he was told they both dwarf any idea what age she should be to breed as i think he will still go ahead with bred plan to sell even with all the advise but he would wait for right age ????thanx elycegElyceg":2rho71li said:
It really depends on the rabbit. I would definitely NOT breed until at least 6 months. If the doe is smaller than the buck, that could create some very big problems for her trying to give birth. Could get stuck kits which have to be pulled out or else the doe will die.
